Hand held captive ball apparatus



July19, 1960 R. H. HEIMERS ETAL HAND HELD CAPTIVE BALL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 16, 1957 MFL. m

Patented July 19, 1960.`

United States Patentqce 2,945,694 4 VHAND HELD CAPTIV'E BALL APPARATUS Rudolph Heinrich Heimen-s, FriedreichrOtoman Heimers,

and Siegfried Immanuel Heimers, all of 2001 Main St.,

Chula Vista, p

Filed sept. 16, 1951, ser. No. 684,181

comme (Cim-ss) 1 1 system mounted on a handheld wand or beam element,

the pulleys being `arrangedso that a length `of elastic can be utilized without tangling `during extension and retraction. n t Another object of `this inventionis to vprovide a game apparatus in which multiplesets of pulleys of dieren-t sizes are used to enable extra layers of elastic cord to be stacked one over the other in a of space.-

Another object ofthis inventionA is'to providefsuch y a game apparatus in which Anew improved guide means is used to guide the active pontionsof'the elastic cord at all times. f

Another object of-th'is invention is to providea game apparatus in which an'eitcessfsupply'of elastic cordis` stored on an improved spool contained within" the apparatus and capable ofbeinglOcKed .to facilitate thread# ing-of the entra pulleys.,` o: g

`Another object'of this invention is to provide a game apparatus in which the pulleys are easily removable for servicing. Y Y- 5 Y Another object of this invention is to provide a game y apparatus which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can considerations, the exact sizes proportions beingmat-v ters easily determined to suit particular conditionsI and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus which is practicable Vand inexpensiveto manufacture. o Y i..

Finally,it is an object to provide a game apparatus of the aforementioned character which is simple andfconvenient'to operate and which will give generally efcient and durable service.. Y

With these and other objects, definitely in View, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination .and arrangement ofelements and portions, .-as will be hereinafter fully ldescnibedin `the speciiication, particular-ly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure, and in which; :f y y' VyFigure 1 isa top plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 2 isa fragmentary sectional viewtaken on the line 2,!-2 of Figure l; f -v Y Figure an enlarged fr gmentary `sectionalfview taken ontheline 3-3 of Figure 1; i

f Figure 4'is an enlarger sectional view taken-on the line 4--4 of Figure 1; and

f provide a pair of long arms 16, having longitudinal op# 65 pulley blocks.

Figure 5 is'an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

y Similar characters ofreference indicate similar 'or' identical elements .and portions throughout the specifica?. tion and mthroughout'theviews of .the drawing. i

Referring now toV the drawing in detail,y the apparatus includes a wand which is `an elongated beam-like mem` ber, generally I-shapedin cross section and having a flat central web 12 withspaced, parallel side rails 14. At one end, the side rails 14 extend beyond the web 12 to posed grooves 18 on their inner faces and co-planar with said web.

VFitted between the arms .16 and abutting the web 121 Y islan inner pulley blockV comprising a plurality of 5 spaced, parallel plates 22'interconn`ected at'one end by a-common spacer'member 24 and dening runways 25 between the plates. Extending laterally from theV pulley block 'are lugs A26 and 2S which are .atight sliding lit in the grooves 18 Iand vserve to center the pulley block in alignmentrwith the' web 12. The inner pulley block 20 has-a transverse bore in which are a plurality of frecjY ly rotatable 'pulleys 32 mounted on a shaft 34, said shaft being held at'one end in theend plate 36 of the pulley block and having 'at the other .end a cap .3S/Which seats in'a socket `4l) inthe other end plate 42.` 'I'he pulleys 32'are aligned `with the runways -25 between the plates 22"and the plates each have raised' restrictor knobs 44' @on their confronting faces on both sides .of the bore 30 and on their extended portions 46 remote from the spacer,

. mernber' 24.` This typefof pulley structure is fully de# scribed inthe above mentioned co-pending application'.`

A lso` fitted between the arms 16 is Van outer pulley block V50, thestructural details vof which are exactly analogous to those of the'inner pulley Iblock 20, except that the outer pulley Iblock-501s somewhat larger and containspulleys 52-of"larger diameter-than the pulleys 32.-'` outer Apulley 4block` 5G abuts the outer end of the inner lpulley :block 20, so that the two constitute aidoublepulley assembly. The pulleyblocks 20v and 50 H are easily Aremoved or inserted by sliding them longitu- 'i dinally, the lugs 26 and 28 on leach block riding in 'the grooves 18 of arms 16 at one end-of the wand' and in the grooves 56 of arms 54-at .the other end of .the wand. At the other end of the wand `1tl,-tlieside rails 14 a j are extendedfto provide a p'airl of stubarms 54 having opbe according .to the Ydictates of availability 'andi price i 12 in.4 close proximity thereto,l .then the elastic cord` is wound laround the larger pulleys 52, as shown in Figure 3, which hold this second 'layer of elastic cord clear of the first layer .on the smaller pulleys 32. The elastic cor-d 60 is prevented froml jumping off the pulleys vby the restrictor knobs 44 since the gap between each opposed pairsof restrictor Iknobs is less than-the width of the elastic cord. 'Ihus it is possible to hold more than double thenormal amount of elastic 'cord on a wand of given length and width by using sets of pulleys of different sizes at each end of .-thewand, the pulleys of each pulley block at each end of the wand being aligned with corresponding pulleys of the other pulley blocks but spaced longitudinally oftheA wand from the pulleys of -t-he other `a centering plate 68, having a pair of vertically opposed slots 70 aligned with the longitudinal axis of the wand i and disposed on either side of the web 12. 0n the inner face of each socket portion 64 is a bearing 72 between which is mounted a freely rotatable centering roller 74 having a circumferential groove 76 in axial alignment with the, slots 70. Fixed in theheadrblock 66 is' a frame 78 in which are mounted two pairs ofA spaced parallel rollers 80 and v82, the pairs being mounted at right angles to each other. This roller structure isy also fully described in the above mentioned co-pending ap, plication.

The free end 84 of the elastic cord 60 is threaded between the rollers 80 and 82 and falls naturally into one of the slots 70 and a circumferential groove 76 of the centering roller 74, the end of the elastic cord being fixed to the ball 86 or other captive element, as shown inA Figures 1 and 3. The free end 84 thus passes through the central portions of the pulley blocks and 50 and i.

the centering roller 74 holds this free end substantially clear of the loops of elastic cord to prevent binding.

The other or fixed end 88 of the elastic cord 60 is' secured to a spool 90 which comprises a pair of generally at, plate-like elements 92 and 94 having arm portions 96 and which are aligned with each other by pins 98 adjacent each end of the plate 92 and integral therewith. The spool 90 is rotatably mounted on a support rod 100, the plate element 92 having a transverse channel 102 to constitute a bearing for said rod. The support rod 100 has an extended portion 104 which extends parallel to one side of the spool 90 and has an inwardly turned end 106 which is journalled in the side of a footiblock 108. This foot block 108 is fixed between a pair of socket portions 110 which lit over the ends of the arms 16, the complete unit comprising an end cap 112. The edges of the spool 90 and the extended portion 104 lt into widened portions 114 of the grooves 18, when the end cap 112. is in place, so that the spool is stored inrnonrotatable position. To add or remove elastic cord on the spool 90, the end cap 112 is removed and the spool 90 pulled longitudinally from the wand 10, and the extended portion` 104 of the support rod 100 is swung outwardly about the axis of endportion 106 and is shifted-axially on said end portion to lock in position in a notch 116 in the foot block 108 which holds the rod in place. The end cap 112 is then replaced with the spool 90 supported clear of the wand |10 for free rotation, the extended portion 104 being recessed in the notch 116 and, clear of the arm 16.

There is a special utility in the specific two-piece spool construction described above when considered in relation to the dual pulley block construction, since this special spool permits the locking thereof against rotation when in extended position. For example, when the inner pulley blocks have been loaded with elastic cord, the outer pulley blocks must be inserted and it is convenient to lock the spool against rotation to prevent further unwinding until such time as the outer blocks are in place.l To effect this locking, the spool is simply shifted longitudinally on the support rod 100 until the spool is so close to the wand as to have insuf'cient clearance for rotation. At least one of the plates 92 and 94 is sufciently flexible to allow the spool to be shifted ot center so that the support rod is no longer in the channel 102. t

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing descripvtion of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achievedY by this invention. l

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spiritv and'scope of the invention,

- 4 and that the specication and drawing lare to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

We claim:

l. A hand held captive ball apparatus comprising: an elongated, rigid support member; inner pulley blocks on said member and disposed on opposite sides of a central portion of the member; outer pulley blocks on said member on the remote sides of said inner pulley blocks; all said pulley blocks having pulleys and said pulleys having their axes substantially on a common plane; the pulleys of the outer pulley blocks being coplanar with and being greater in diameter than the corresponding pulleys of the inner pulley blocks; a single elastic cord wound serially in adjacent loopson the pulleys' of the inner pulley blocks and also having outer loopsV wound serially upon the pulleys of the outer pulley blocks with the outer loops spanning the inner pulley blocks and out of contact therewith; a captive ball secured to one end of said elastic cord; and means to secure the other end of the elastic cord; said support member having a pair of parallel arms at each end thereof; said pulley blocks being slidably inserted and removably supported on and between said arms; said inner pulley blocks being retained by said outer pulley blocks against movement in one direction longitudinally of the support member; all said pulley blocks being frictionally engaged with said arms; and means removably secured to the extremities of said arms and also engaging said outer pulley blocks for further securing that the latter be held in place.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 whereinone of the last mentioned means is a guide head including two crossed pairs of spaced, parallel rollers and a centering :roller disposed between said rollers and said pulley blocks and having a circumferential groove therein; one

of said pulley blocks having a substantially central runway and a pulley therein aligned with the circumferential groove of said centering roller.

3. A hand held captive ball apparatus comprising: an elongated, rigid support member; inner pulley blocks on said member and disposed on opposite sides of a central portion of the member; outer pulley blocks on said member on the remote sides of said inner pulley blocks; all said pulley blocks having pulleys and said pulleys having their axes substantially on a common plane; the pulleys of the outer pulley blocks being coplanar with and being greater in diameter than the corresponding pulleys of the inner pulley blocks; a single elastic cord wound serially in adjacent loops on the pulleys of the inner pulley blocks and also having outer loops wound serially upon the pulleys of the outer pulley blocks with the outer loops spanning the inner pulley blocks and out of contact therewith; a captive ball secured to one end of said elastic cord; and means to secure the other end of the elastic cord; said support member having parallel arms extending from each end thereof; said pulley blocks being removably secured on and between said arms; a support rod pivotally mounted to swing outwardly from said arms; a spool freely rotatably mounted on said support rod; said spool comprising two substantially coextensive plates with a bearing defined at their center portions for said support rod, Aat least one of said plates being sufficiently flexible to permit the spool to be shifted off center and locked against rotation by engagement with an adjacent portion of said support member, whereby the insertion of said outer pulley blocks into place during the loading or winding ofthe elastic cord is facilitated.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Young -r Mar. 27, 1951v 

